Motion Technology Company Schaeffler has received the globally renowned Hermes Award for its highly integrated actuator platform for humanoids. The award, presented during the official opening ceremony for Hannover Messe on April 19 by Federal Research Minister Dorothee Bar in the presence of Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz, recognizes outstanding products with high innovation and significant industrial benefits. An independent jury chaired by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Holger Hanselka, President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, selected Schaeffler from among three nominated companies, with this year's focus on the integration of mechanical engineering and artificial intelligence.
The award-winning actuator platform integrates innovative technologies, efficient production processes, and extensive modularity, specifically designed for the joints of humanoid robots. As actuators account for approximately 50% of total humanoid costs, they are a pivotal factor in making these robots competitive. Schaeffler will be instrumental in readying humanoid robots for large-scale industrial use, with series production of components set to begin this year. The company leverages its decades of experience as an automotive and industrial supplier to offer cost-effective solutions with excellent reliability and scalability.
“We are very delighted to receive the prestigious Hermes Award,” said Georg F. W. Schaeffler, family shareholder and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Schaeffler AG. “For 80 years, our company has been the embodiment of innovative strength and pioneering spirit, qualities that we apply consistently in both our core business and growth segments like humanoid robotics. With our highly integrated actuator platform, we are setting new benchmarks by combining our decades-long technology expertise with our excellent track record in industrialization.”
Klaus Rosenfeld, CEO of Schaeffler AG, added, “Receiving the renowned Hermes Award is primarily an accolade for our engineers and product developers. There’s barely any other technology at Schaeffler that illustrates more effectively the immense potential behind the Motion Technology Company concept than actuator technology, which enables energy to be converted into mechanical motion. Especially when combined with AI capabilities, this is a key technology for facilitating the breakthrough of humanoid robots.”
Schaeffler’s actuator platform includes rotary actuators that deliver precise and powerful rotational movements in key joints like shoulders, elbows, and knees, enabling natural movement sequences. The platform is based on highly efficient electric motors with integrated power electronics and high-precision encoders, configurable with two-stage planetary or strain wave gears. An innovative architecture integrates the bearing into the rotor, reducing installation footprint by around 20% and weight by up to 500 grams, resulting in a design up to 10 mm more compact than other solutions while delivering high continuous torque. This combination of space-saving design, high efficiency, and flexible modularity makes the platform a key technology for humanoid robot drive systems.
Schaeffler relies on its 12 core manufacturing technologies, including highly automated winding technology for coils and chipless metal forming for roller bearing rings just 1 mm thick, to ensure fast and flexible production ramp-up. The close integration of development, production, and supply chain enables cost-effective, scalable production. More information about Schaeffler’s participation in Hannover Messe 2026 is available at Schaeffler at the Hannover Messe 2026.
